Day: March 15, 2021

Michigan Tech Husky Investment Tournament Spring 2021—Week Three

Welcome to week three of the Husky Investment Tournament!

The third round of stimulus checks were just approved this past week. The bill came out to a total of $1.9 trillion dollars. Some of you may question why the government is willingly giving us cash. The reason is purely economic. The point of the checks is to have citizens spend the money when it is received and “stimulate” the economy. An issue that has come up with these checks is that many Americans are taking their checks and putting the money aside. This action defeats the purpose of the “stimulus” checks. Hopefully, enough Americans spend their checks and the economy sees an increase in activity. The stock market should mirror the increase.

Better economy = higher stock prices = lower unemployment = economic recovery from the pandemic

It is good in theory, but it will be interesting to see how the economy reacts going forward. Many of the major stock market indexes are reaching all-time highs and hope is on the horizon for all Americans. However, is the economy really in a better place than before COVID-19? Or is our economy artificially propped up from three rounds of stimulus, and near-zero percent interest rates? 

For this week’s video, Laura Connolly, an assistant professor of economics at Michigan Tech, discusses economic indicators and how investors can use them to gauge their investment decisions. Please note, the rates and indicators in this video are from October 2019; however, the information surrounding how to read and interpret these ratios is relevant.

Appleton Senior Awarded Michigan Tech Impact Scholarship

Michigan Technological University’s College of Business announces Rachel Weyenberg of Appleton, Wisconsin, as the 2021-22 Impact Scholarship recipient.

Weyenberg is the daughter of Amy and Kevin Weyenberg and is a senior at Appleton East High School. She is active as the vice president of competitive excellence in DECA, an association of high school business students who participate in career development, social events, community service activities, and competitions. She credits DECA for helping her discover a passion for business and leading her to Michigan Tech. 

photo of Rachel Weyenberg

On campus in Houghton, Weyenberg plans to pursue construction management, become active in Enterprise, and land an internship. Supported by both the College of Business and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the interdisciplinary construction management major was recently named the best construction management program in the state by Universities.com.

“I fell in love with Michigan Tech and all the unique opportunities offered by the University. What made me decide to attend MTU was how amazing the College of Business is. When I toured campus I met with both Associate Dean Buche and Dean Johnson. They made me feel welcomed and at home. I love the one-on-one attention each student receives and the hands-on approach.” Weyenberg says.

The Impact Scholarship, organized by Admissions, Financial Aid, and the College of Business, is an annual competitive award recognizing Michigan Tech business majors. Held virtually this year, 41 high school senior finalists from seven states were invited to participate in leadership activities via Zoom and received renewable awards ranging from $1,000 to full in-state tuition.

“Evaluators were struck by Rachel’s communication skills including public speaking experience as well as her outgoing and positive approach,” says Shannon Rinkinen, director in the College of Business and chair of the Impact Scholarship committee.

Weyenberg is also active in student council, National Honors Society, link crew, pep club, and varsity soccer. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, and going on road trips.

“I am extremely grateful for the Impact Scholarship. This opportunity will allow me to further my education without the stress of out-of-state tuition. I know that I was meant to be a Husky.”

Next year’s Michigan Tech Impact Scholarship application will open in summer 2021.